Assessing the Viability of Pictometry Imagery in support of Property Assessment in Service New Brunswick

Jonathan Cody Anderson, Jake Langlois and Corey Mitton

3rd Prize

Utilizing a Web-based GIS for Public Participation in Locating Potential Low Income Housing Sites: A Case Study of Vancouver

Faisal Andrew Al-Assadi, Stefan Bazar and Mobene Tahershamsi

The CIG-NB Branch sponsored a $1000 prize at the 2014 annual UNB GGE Student Paper Competition for undergraduate students. The prize was awarded to Nicholas Parrot for his presentation entitled “Impacts of the Adoption of CGVD2013 in New Brunswick.” Congratulations Nicholas!

The Chair of the Branch, Mr. Robert Harris, would also like to thank Rémy Reyjal and Sarah O’Rourke for their help in judging the competition.

CIG-NB sponsored the $1,000 first prize at this year’s UNB GGE Student Paper Competition for undergraduate students, which was awarded to Lydia Penner for her presentation entitled “Geodesics: Theory and Practice”.

Judging on behalf of CIG-NB was done by Stephen Hartley, Rémy Reyjal, Robert Harris, Doug Morgan and Yves Léger.

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CIG-NB also sponsored this year’s UNB GGE graduate student presentation competition, April 5th, with the following results:

Judging on behalf of CIG-NB was done by Anna Szostak-Chrzanowski, Marcelo Santos and Emmanuel Stefanakis.

NEWS

On September 26, 2012, the New Brunswick Branch sponsored a LiDAR workshop organized by UNB GGE students in which Dr. Martin Isenburg presented his LAStools technology and how it can be used for efficient processing of very large LiDAR datasets.

Dr. Martin Isenburg has won several awards including the 2012 technology innovation award for LiDAR processing at the Geospatial World Forum in Amsterdam for his LASzip lossless LiDAR compression software. LASzip is a free, efficient, open-source solution for compressing LAS files into much smaller LAZ files. LASzip has become a de-facto industry standard for exchanging compressed LiDAR that is used by NOAA, USGS, OpenTopography, Dielmo3D, Fugro, Blom, Riegl, Dewberry, USACE, DNR Minnesota, the Finnish Mapping Authority, and many more.

Dr. Isenburg specializes in geometry processing and data visualization with a focus on large LiDAR point clouds. Currently, he is an independent scientist maintaining a popular suite of LiDAR processing software called LAStools. He is a vocal advocate of open LiDAR formats and is involved in shaping the future of the LAS exchange standard, in promoting the free, open-source LASzip compressor, and in designing the upcoming PulseWaves specification. PulseWaves is an open vendor-neutral data exchange format for geo-referenced full waveforms that may be of interest for forest and vegetation analysis.

As in previous years, the CIG New Brunswick Branch once again sponsored the $1,000 first prize in the UNB GGE Student Technical Conference paper competition, which took place March 22, 2011.

The winner of this year’s competition was Tracey Peet, with her presentation entitled “Assessment of GOCE gravity models across Canada.”

Yves Léger (CIG-NB Chair), on the left, presents the first prize to Tracey Peet. Photo by Jody Blakely.

As in previous years, the CIG New Brunswick Branch once again sponsored a $500 prize for the NBCC GIS programme student presentations, which took place May 17, 2011.

The winners of this year’s competition were Jarrett Totton, Justin Terris and Dwarley Rafael Guerrero, with their presentation entitled “Mapping Recreational Area Potential in Riverview.”

The competition was judged by Yves Léger (CIG-NB Chair) and fellow CIG-NB Branch member Bernie Connors.

Yves Léger (CIG-NB Chair), on the left, presents the first prize to the winning team. Photo by CIG-NB member Darren Llewellyn.

As in previous years, the CIG New Brunswick Branch once again sponsored the $1,000 first prize in the UNB GGE Student Technical Conference paper competition, which took place March 17, 2011.

The winner of this year’s competition was James Thomas, with his presentation entitled “Pixel Based Image Classification of Digital Aerial Orthophotos of the City of Fredericton for Urban Green Space Investigation.”

The competition was judged by Yves Léger (CIG-NB Chair) and fellow CIG-NB Branch members Bernie Connors and George McKessock.

Yves Léger (CIG-NB Chair), on the left, presents the first prize to James Thomas. Photo by CIG-NB member Rob Lunn.

May 18, 2007

UNB Technical Conference

On March 28, 2007, the Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering department at the University of New Brunswick held its annual undergraduate technical conference. The conference culminates with the CIG Paper Competition, which is proudly sponsored by the New Brunswick branch of the CIG. The 5 competitors were Blair Bridger, Mark Guest, Anas Shadid, Alexander Snyder and George McKessock. A first place prize of $1,000 was presented to George McKessock.

Left, George McKessock (1st place prize). Right, Doug Morgan (President of the NB Branch of the CIG)

On April 30, 2007, the GIS Post Diploma Technology Program at the Moncton campus of the New Brunswick Community College held its annual project presentation conference. The New Brunswick branch of the CIG proudly sponsors this event by providing a first place prize of $500.00. This year's winner was Nadia Thériault for her work depicting the change in the American Plaice population in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence over a 25-year period.

Marcelo Santos, Secretary of the NB Branch of CIG, presented a cheque for $3,000 to Nick Bardsley, President of the Survey Society and President of the UNB Geomatics Undergraduate Society, to help defer expenses for 19 students to travel to Montreal to attend the Geomatics 2006 Conference held on October 25 and 26 and sponsored by the Montreal Branch of CIG.

Conference organizers were kind enough to offer a reduced entrance fee for the students and because of the efforts of both Branches students from UNB-GGE were able to attend this year’s event.

In an effort to increase student interest and enrolment in the Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG), the New Brunswick Branch of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics has offered to purchase a one (1) year membership to the Canadian Institute of Geomatics for any Geomatics and Geodesy Engineering (GGE) student graduating this year from the University of New Brunswick and for any GIS Technology student graduating this year from the New Brunswick Community College in Moncton.

Seven (7) persons applied and received a one (1) year CIG Student membership.

GUESS Trivia Night

March 24, 2006

The University of New Brunswick Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering Department held a Trivia Night at Isaac’s Way in Fredericton on March 24, 2006. The NB Branch of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics donated five (5) CIG Student Memberships as prizes for the 1st place winners.

The New Brunswick Branch of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG) co-sponsored a presentation on “Land Reform in Brazil” that was given at the University of New Brunswick, Head Hall on April 6, 2006. The Presenters were Edaldo Gomes, General Manager – INCRA (National Institute of Colonization and Land Reform) and advisor to the President with the participation of Luiz Paulo Fortes, Adjunct-Director IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), Directorate of Geosciences.

Land Reform is among the most important processes currently in place in Brazil, forging the state of the country for the next decades. This presentation will cover the historical reasons for the high concentration of land in Brazil. It will overview the advancements obtained through the current land reform program, including the number of new farms and the area of the new farmland, and the quality of the support provided by INCRA to the families living on the new farms, including education. The presentation will also focus on the cadastral and legal aspects, including the situation with public notaries and the recent change in land legislation. The new legislation has made coordinates, not physical evidence, as legal means for border definition.

The New Brunswick Branch of CIG presented the 2 (two) speakers with gifts on behalf of CIG as a token of their appreciation.

2006 Student Paper Competition Winner!!

Ian Church is presented with a cheque for $500 by Dave Finley of the NB Branch of CIG for being the winner of the 2006 University of New Brunswick and CIG sponsored Undergraduate Student Paper Competition. First place winner receives $1000 jointly funded by the NB Branch of CIG and the UNB Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering Department. The competition is held every year at the University of New Brunswick Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering Department and includes students from the fourth and fifth years of the programme. Ian Church presented a paper entitled “Improving the Sub-Bottom Echosounder Depth Estimate using a Multibeam ED”.

The New Brunswick Branch of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics has offered to purchase a one (1) year membership to the Canadian Institute of Geomatics for any Geomatics and Geodesy Engineering (GGE) student graduating this year from the University of New Brunswick and for any GIS Technology student graduating this year from the New Brunswick Community College in Moncton....

Press Release -

Angus Hamilton Lecture Series

The Angus Hamilton Lecture Series was held in conjunction with the NB Branch of CIG Annual General Meeting held on December 7, 2005. Melissa Edwards of Geist magazine, gave an excellent presentation. Ms. Edwards provided an entertaining perspective on thematic mapping from a cultural perspective. She provided numerous examples of the maps published in the Geist magazine (www.geist.com). The Canadian Institute of Geomatics – New Brunswick Branch wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Ms. Edwards’ for her participation in the CIG NB Branch Angus Hamilton Lecture Series. Dave Finley presented Ms. Edwards with a gift in appreciation.

Willis Roberts received an Honorary Life Membership of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics at a session held in Fredericton on July 5, 2005. Mark Doucette, Chair of the NB Branch, made the presentation to Mr. Roberts. Angus Hamilton, former Chair of the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering at the University of New Brunswick and himself an Honorary Life Member of CIG, was also in attendance.

In the two decades before the information highway became a buzzword, Willis Roberts had a vision of a computer-based system for the management of all land-related data. To make the vision a reality, he initiated discussions that led to the establishment of the Atlantic Provinces Surveying and Mapping Program in 1968. Mr. Roberts served as its technical director, then as executive director of its successor, the Land Registration and Information Service. In 1979 he was named president of LRIS International, a Council of Maritime Premiers’ agency which marketed surveying, mapping and land information services.

A UNB forestry graduate, Mr. Roberts was influential in the establishment of the Department of Surveying Engineering at UNB. In 1983, he received the Massey Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for outstanding personal achievement in the description of the geography of Canada.

The University of New Brunswick conferred an Honorary Degree (doctor of science honoris causa) to Mr. Willis F. Roberts on May 19, 2005 during UNB's 176th Encaenia celebrations in Fredericton, NB.

2005 Undergraduate Student Paper Competition Winner!!

LeMont Edwards is presented with a cheque for $1,000 by Stephen Hartley of the NB Branch of CIG for being the winner of the 2005 CIG sponsored Undergraduate Student Paper Competition. The competition is held every year at the University of New Brunswick Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering Department and includes students from the fourth and fifth years of the programme. LeMont presented a paper entitled “3D Laser Scanners Emerged or Emerging Technology”. LeMont graduates in May of 2005.

FREDERICTON (CNB) - The New Brunswick Branch of the Canadian Institute of Geomatics (CIG) is donating a copy of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society's 75th Anniversary Atlas to every high school in New Brunswick, Education Minister Madeleine Dubé said today...

Stephen Hartley retired from the executive of the NB Branch at the 2004 AGM. The Branch expressed its sincere appreciation to Stephen Hartley for the time, effort, enthusiasm and hard work that has been so freely provided over the past 14 years.

Mark Doucette presented Stephen Hartley a plaque in recognition of his many years of service on the Executive.

NB Branch Speaker at 2004 AGM

The Canadian Institute of Geomatics – New Brunswick Branch expressed its gratitude to Yves Léger for participation in the CIG–NB Branch Speaker Series. Yves spoke at the AGM in October and gave an excellent presentation on the City of Saint John’s recent Orthophotography Project.